I'm an Addict

Addiction:

–noun

the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.

I'm addicted. 

Just like an Alcoholic.

Just like a smoker.

Just like a junkie on the corner shooting himself up.

I'm addicted to food. That's a very hard thing to admit. It's a struggle. Every day, every hour - sometimes every minute - I have to battle myself because I want that cake that my co-worker brought in, that leftover dinner from last night, that spoon full of peanut butter. I want to eat...

-when I'm happy-

-when I'm sad-

-when I'm angry-

-when I'm bored-

-when I wake up-

-before I go to bed-

I'm not going to lie. It's hard - really hard. For me, losing weight is not JUST about working out and eating the right things - It's about overcoming my addiction.

Have you overcome any addictions? Are you struggling with any now? 

Yoga

Listen, I don't know if you know this, but I am not a yoga connoisseur. I've never done yoga...except one time in a friends living room we popped in a DVD and I lasted about 1 minute and 30 seconds. 

But, I have been thinking about it for a few days. Trying to decide if I want to do it - if I'm even CAPABLE of doing it. Even beginners yoga seems far out of my reach right now. 

Then, yesterday, while reading a blog I follow, I came across this photo:

At first I just stared at it - I couldn't believe someone's body could bend like that. Now - as I said before, I don't know much anything about yoga...but this looks like the most difficult pose EVER. 

So I sat, and I looked at this photo a little longer, and what had first been the thought "that is impossible, I could never do that" slowly turned into, "I'm going to do that one day...no matter how long it takes me to get there."

So, I made a change to the photo - 

and I set it as my desktop background, and the wallpaper on my phone. 

It may look like a random picture, but for some reason it really inspires me. 

I will do that pose someday.

What inspires you? 

Just Keep Swimming...

Workouts:

Last week, after we joined the gym on Sunday, I worked out a total of 3 times. Not bad for the first week - but I'm absolutely aiming for more this week. I went to the gym last night (45 mins of treadmill and 30 minutes of weights - shoulders). We have plans to go at least 4 more times this week (Today, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday morning). And - BONUS - last night on the treadmill the 45 minutes FLEW by. AND! - I'm tying Zumba tonight with Carrie! Very exciting! PLUS! I'm almost to my calorie burnt goal for the month!

Food:

I had a few slip ups this weekend, but overall my eating has been on point. I'm sticking to this plan and things are going great! 

I'm terribly sorry that I did not do Monday Munchies this week! I completely forgot to take pics of my food on Sunday - Oiy. 

Biggest Loser:

The Biggest Loser competition at work is cranking up! We had our first weigh in on Monday morning and Carrie and I made this board to display the results (still having issues getting my photos turned the right way!):

As you can see...I'm dominating! :) We determined that the two people below the red line every week must put $2 in the pot. The person with the highest percentage of weight loss at the end will win all the money! 

Weigh In:

I lost a whopping 6.6 lbs this week bringing my total to 44.6 lbs lost! Almost to 50! 

Right now - I feel like I've reached a good stride and if I just stay on this auto-pilot I will get where I want to be. Right now I feel like that - doesn't mean I will feel like that in 10 minutes. 

Notebook of Love

I Eat:

I eat six times a day. 6 small meals. (there are times on the weekends when I don't do this - I'll have bigger meals and less of them) I have been doing this for a few weeks now, and it is amazing! Amazing for several reasons:

• I made myself s schedule, that way if I think I'm hungry (AKA I'm bored to I want to eat), then I can look at my schedule ...

...and tell myself it's not time yet. I taped it right in from of my on my desk.

• I never get starved, and I never get super full - I always feel balanced
• It's just awesome, ok?

Notebook Inspiration:

I took Beth's (at Beth's Journey) advise and started a notebook...

with my before pictures on the inside cover, and "love" stuff inside. I write down quotes that keep me going, nice thing people say regarding my progress, and anything that just lifts me up. 

That way, if I'm having a rough day, I can open it and read instead of eating a pizza. I just started it, but I can tell it's going to be very helpful!

What little tools do you use to help on YOUR journey (whatever that may be)?

The Dreaded Before Pictures

Listen, I want you to know that I really thought about weather or not I should put my before pictures on here. I mean, it IS really scary. Do I really want to put myself out there? Do I REALLY want to put on a bathing suit and show everyone what I look like?

Answer: YES! 

I think it's important - it's important (to me) for everyone who is reading and watching to know where I'm coming from. It's important for me to take a good look at myself and reiterate that this is a place where I do NOT want to be anymore. I want to be COMFORTABLE in a bathing suit. I want to skip the anxiety that goes along with going to the pool. I want to just be HAPPY with my body.  

So please know - I don't do this lightly.

It's ok though - because soon (in a year or two), I will be posting this picture:

Before - After :)

Ok, OK -this is a little unrealistic -  my tatas PROBABLY won't be that big. I'm just saying. 

Gettin my Fidness

I'm not sure if you've noticed my calorie counter at the bottom of my page going up and up...here's the reason! 

Keith and I joined this gym on Sunday:

I am SO happy with it! The gym is located minutes for our place and it is extremely affordable. 

We also had our very first workout on Sunday. 

I was ready to go!

I completed 45 minutes of cardio burning 259 calories (according to 411fit.com- more according to the treadmill).

I also completed 30 minutes of weight lifting burning 316 calories. 

That's a total of 575 calories. Not bad!

Me, post workout:

I'm smiling but I feel like this:

We went on Monday as well, doing just cardio. We are going tonight to do more treadmill and also strength training in the legs! My arms have been sore the past few days from the workout and I LOVE IT!

And, I also feel so proud! Proud of giving my all during my workouts. Proud of sweating through my shirt. And mostly, proud of every decision I am making for myself, to make my life better. 

It's SUCH a great feeling to be taking care of my body. I know that this is the last time a will START the process of becoming healthy. I'm not saying I will be perfect everyday - I think that's unrealistic. I have a long way to go...but I just feel so good already. I'm not letting anything hold me back from my dreams anymore. 

What are you letting hold you back?

Pretty Little Goal Board

Biggest Loser Competition

I started (along with Carrie at A Whole Bunch of Boys) a Biggest Loser competition at work. The competition started yesterday, and is going through September 19 (coincidentally 1 day before my b-day!). I'm SO excited about this. We have 7 people in total competing. We don't have a prize determined yet. Any ideas? (we don't have company funding of any kind)

Goal Board

Tucked away in my closet I have hanging a goal board with a progress chart beneath it. I can't wait to check these goals off:

• wear teal bathing suit by August 1st (I got this bathing suit two years ago and have never worn it)
• hike up Kennesaw Mountain by September 1 (I have a co-worker that goes almost everyday when it starts getting cool in the fall - I would love to go with her)
• fit into my size 28 jeans and dress pants by September 1
• wear size 24 capri pants by next spring (I have literally 20 pairs of cute capri's that were handed down to me by a friend who lost weight about 4 or 5 years ago)
• Down 107lbs by June 12. 2012 (that's one year from the time I put this board up (random number - I know - just roll with it!!!)

I just want to let ya'll know that I am not going to be derailed from my progress if I do not reach a goal by the certain date. These are aggressive goals, but I'm working hard to reach them. I WILL reach them.  I'm trying my hardest every single day to do everything I can to be healthier.

One day at a time.

One bite at a time.

One step on the treadmill at a time.

Do you make goals for yourself with strict time limits?

Monday Munchies + Weigh In

Weigh In:
I'm down 3 more pounds for a total of 38lbs. lost!


Welcome to the first edition of Monday Munchies! 

Once a week I am going to let ya'll in on what I had to eat for an entire day! I hope you enjoy...

Breakfast:

McDonalds oatmeal and 10 raspberries 

Calories: 299.88, Carbs: 59.27, Fat: 4.62, Protein 5.23, Sodium 160.19

Morning Snack:

Chobani 2% Pineapple Yogurt (lemon pictured), and 1 Kiwi

Calories: 206.36, Carbs: 32.14, Fat: 2.9, Protein 13.87, Sodium 67.28

Lunch:

Banana and Peanut Butter Sandwich on 100% whole wheat bread

Calories: 250.02, Carbs: 40.45, Fat: 9.39, Protein: 9.29, Sodium: 191.18

Afternoon Snack:

String Cheese and one plum

Calories: 110.36, Carbs: 8.54, Fat: 6.18, Protein: 7.46, Sodium: 190

Dinner:

3 eggs, turkey, sargento cheddar, whole wheat toast round, 1/2 cup grapes

Calories: 549.10, Carbs: 34.27, Fat 26.42, Protein: 41.35, Sodium: 982.51

Nightime Snack:

Green Monster: pineapple, coconut water, greek yogurt, honey, and spinach

Calories: 453.60, Carbs: 280.3, Fat: 49.75, Protein: 14.3, Sodium: 194.7

Total for the day:

Calories: 1869.32, Carbs: 280.3, Fat: 49.75, Protein 91.5, Sodium: 1785.86

Plus - 150oz of water

SUCH a good day!!! 

Also, I want to let you know if you are trying to eat healthy on a budget, the Cobb International Farmer's Market off of Spring Road is AMAZING! 

We got all of this:

local honey, coconut water (NOT A FAN), 4 individual Chobani greek yogurts, large plain Chobani for smoothies, 2 cucumbers, 6 kiwi, two giant bunches of spinach, 4 tomtos, 2 bunches of bananas, 2 pineapple, grapes, 2 cantaloupe, one honey-due melon, 2 pints of strawberries, and one GIANT watermelon...

For a total of $47.44. 

INCREDIBLE!!! Love it!

Tell me one thing you did for your health (mental, physical, or otherwise) this weekend. 

Ups, Downs, and Plans

Ups:

-drinking 100+ ounces of water everyday (even the weekends) is becoming a habit for me - I need it!

-I am learning (from 411fit.com) what portions of carbs/fat/protein I need daily

-I am actually eating the right portions (on the weekdays)

-I am eating 6 small meals a day to keep my metabolism running (on the weekdays)

Downs:

-exercise - basically non-existent in my life (everyday I plan to - then put it off until tomorrow -tomorrow never comes)

-all the times I wrote "on the weekdays" in my 'ups' list

Plans:

-keep drinking water like I have been

-make a goal for myself to burn 8280 calories this month (sounds like a lot [to me ayways] but that's 30 minutes of stationary bike, 5 times a week - not too crazy)

-nip the bad weekend behavior in the bud by moving my weigh in day to Monday (no more "its ok if I eat bad this weekend, I will have 4 days to make up for it")

-not be that THAT hard on myself - I'm clearly not a fitness/weight loss expert (yet!)

-JUST SHUT UP AND DO IT ALREADY

Green Monster - take 2!

Have you seen this:

Source

This is the new diet guideline replacing the food pyramid. What do you think? 

I think this is much better - more simple and east to understand (especially since the target audience is children). But speaking of that - shouldn't the target audience be ALL people - not just children. 2/3 of all American Adults are obese. That is a SHOCKING statistic. I'm doing my part to bring that number down - one person at a time (ME!). 

This morning I had tried again for my green Green Monster: 

My recipe:

 - one banana

 - two tablespoons of peanut butter

- two tablespoons of honey

-1/2 cup greek yogurt

- 2 cups of spinach

I gathered my goods and blended...

SUCCESS! But...

Did it taste good?

YES!

The peanut butter made it extra creamy. While I liked it, it wasn't as good as my berry smoothie - so I will probably stick to that (until I think of another AWESOME combo). 

Something else I've made lately:

Crystal Light pop-cycles!

Do you know a healthy pop-cycle recipe? Share it! :)

Berries, Yogurt... and spinach?

My Green Monster:

I braved my first green monster today! I first heard of green monsters a while back from Jen, A Prior Fat Girl. Than I started seeing them everywhere! So, I had to try it! 

I gathered all my ingredients into the blender:

1 cup fresh strawberries, 1 cup fresh blueberries, 1 cup fresh blackberries, 1/2 cup non-fat greek yogurt,  1/4 cup honey, and THREE CUPS of spinach

WHOA....that's a lot of spinach...

Then, I blended, and blended, and stirred and blended (and added ice cubes).  

TADAA:

Hey, umm...aren't these supposed to be green?

Sigh...my green monster was not green, but it WAS delicious - and full of all the good stuff spinach has is it (not to mention the berries!). 

Seriously - I know there are some of you out there (Carrie) who are shaking your heads and squinting your faces up at the idea of spinach in a smoothie...but I PROMISE...no spinach tasted AT ALL! Next time I will use less honey, though, 1/4 cup is way too much!

I plugged all the nutritional info into 411fit.com (thanks to Brittany (A Healthy Slice of Life for the recommendation of this site - I love it!), and here's what we have:

Edit (I corrected the stats! Thanks Val!)
461.62 Calories, 105.85 carbs, 2.02 grams of fat, 18.58 grams of protein, and 121.72mg of sodium

Pretty good (I think) - except I definitely need more protein to start my day. 

Can anyone recommend a way to get protein into my monsters (oh crap - I sound like Lady GaGa)? I'd like to stay away from protein powder. I was pondering putting in a hard boiled egg. Do you think I would be able to taste the egg?

For tomorrow's Green Monster I'm going to try either Pineapple and Banana, or Banana and Peanut Butter (protein!). I'm thinking the light colored fruit will make the smoothie more green! I'm not sure why that's important to me. But it JUST is. 

Any other yummy ideas? 

What's YOUR favorite breakfast?